Students, Teachers & Schools
Bringing Innovative Presentations and Training to Students and Educators, for Determined and Reflective Learning
Dr. Schwarzbeck’s Training and Contributions in Education
Professional Training, Breadth, and Interests
Dr. Schwarzbeck’s training includes graduate school in cognitive science and education. He graduated from Boston University S.E.D., Ed.M. He followed his graduate training with supervision from international leaders in education, while he taught in lower, middle, and upper schools, and advised students. He continued as an active collaborator with his primary teachers and, colleagues including: Margaret Jean Snowling, Ph.D., George Walker, MSc, Jean Orvis, MBA, and Howard E. Gardner, Ph.D.
Dr. Schwarzbeck wrote a weekly column on learning, teaching, and schools (“Children Today”, Scripps Howard) for thirteen years.
Charles was introduced at a Harvard Education conference in 1998 by his doctoral chair: Janet T. Spence, Ph.D.: “My esteemed student and now colleague…..who is an innovative and generous leader, who now teaches us to embody the transformative power of education for our students”.
His interests in attention, memory, inborn strength and vulnerabilities, and unique learning strategies have been natural entrees to innovations in helping students and teachers thrive. His interests and commitments to amazing education have been at the forefronts of developing internationally prestigious schools.
He is especially active in I.B.O. trainings, in creating and sharing innovative teaching, bridging upper school students’ joint participations in high school and with university faculty and departments, and in assisting school heads.
Dr. Schwarzbeck's Collaborations with Schools and Universities
Dr. Schwarzbeck has been a consultant to numerous School Leaders, Principals, Heads of Department, and Teachers. His ongoing goal is to support success in recruiting faculty, faculty training, and creating curricula and energizing innovative fundraising. He has helped educators with many aspects of school finances and administration.
Teacher Trainings
Dr. Schwarzbeck conducts one to three-day Teacher Trainings (e.g.: project based structure and teaching, verbal expressed narrative, proactive presentation, International Baccalaureate Organization approaches and strategies, A.P. teaching strategies, Mental Mathematics, Increasing memory functions, Student behavior problems, and problems such as logical memory difficulties, test anxiety, written and verbal expression, and difficulties developing academic ownership).
Recent I.B.O. Presentations
- Upside down models for classroom instruction
- Teaching Strategies for Subject-Group Formats
- Considering transition options for MYP e assessment that progress to and prepare for IB-validated assessments and grades
- Teaching Strategies to promote “Cross-over Subject landings” for just-introduced subject matter
- Discovering new knowledge-competencies that will be required at DP and universities in the 2020s
- Proposing new and sophisticated strategies for MYP and DP project-based learning
- Considering 2-, 3-, and 4-year MYP formats for partnering schools as they anticipate CP and DP; Re-structuring teaching 8 subject groups
- Proposal: A Hybrid Direct IB Education Structure in Pandemic-Isolation Times. This model provides I.B. students, faculty and schools “structured flexibility”. These teaching and physical program structures appreciate unique benefits of in-person and remote educational structures and teaching strategies.
Assessment, Educational Plans & Curriculum Development
“My knowledge of teachers and their values, and the on-going structure of my schools help me to target what is needed for individual students. I create I.E.P.s that are effective and seamless within teachers’ and schools’ efforts and structures.”
Presentations to School Communities
Dr. Schwarzbeck presents topics in expanding to innovative remote-education in the sciences, sharing ownerships for budget and endowment, parent-teacher collaboration, international perspectives on curricula, parenting approaches and child development, cutting edge topics in education, community service, and Exemplary College Prep.
Seattle Academy, January 2015 “A teacher’s lesson plan: Teaching Strategies that help students to invent and develop their own emotional intelligence practices and personal strategies”,
Inglemoor High School, Kenmore, Washington, March 2015 “Student’s recognitions and articulations of personal learning approaches and created uniqueness within IBO learning”
Inglemoor High School, Kenmore, Washington, September 2016 “An outline of local, continental and world issues and/or efforts that require sustained study and inquiry over months, within IBO”
University of Washington College of Education, December , 2018 “10 Year Study, Comparing International Baccalaureate Organization with Cambridge Curriculum: Students’ Views”
NAIS Study group, West Seattle, Washington, February 2018 “A structured way for teachers to provide openness about different cultural norms and how it can evolve into inter-connectedness to other students.”
College of Education, Seattle University, April 2017 “With our shared intentions to lead our students from exposure and study, to meaningful ends-directed engagement and action, without compromising new learning.”
University of Washington College of Education, May 2016 “The brilliance of I.B.O. beginning exposure and introduction within students groups, and sophisticated teacher consultation: examining subject achievement and metrics”
University of Washington College of Education, December, 2017 “Re-thinking Middle School Mathematics by Re-Installing Mental Mathematics “
JFK the American School, December 2019 “Planning with articulated breadth and depth, with ears to competences that will be presumed at universities around our world”
Exemplary College Prep
Achieving Admission, Scholarship, Intentionality, and Confidence
“You were serious, tough and demanding with me, and always on my team. I’m launched!” -PF
Program Overview and Coaching Goals
In this three-year educational sequence, the student begins with gaining overviews of gaining university involvement while in high school. Direct coaching teaches how to initiate and carry out interactive learning dialogues with teachers and subsequently with professors. 11th graders are trained in methods to strengthen executive functions, and instruction on how to establish independent study and maturity skills. (Teachers enjoy this effort!) “Parents ask me how I negotiate more work and stretch university courses with a 16 or 17-year-old student. I only know to say that I praise effort, not talent.”
Dr. Schwarzbeck encourages experimentation and action beyond current achievement. He embraces confronting difficulties with mastery as a means of realizing the student’s potential. For students entering college, the program serves as a celebration of personal transformation.
Creative and Considered Path’s Through Upper School “I meet students when they are tenth and eleventh graders and I begin by quickly assessing their cognitive performance and creative potential.” This is accomplished in a short series of meetings that help the high school student to establish big picture perspectives. “From there the student and I work together toward expansive education and experiences beyond the traditional high school curriculum.” ECP students take on ownership of what needs to be done over two to three years. The students are encouraged to choose their academic favorites, and to hone their talents and progress in those areas.
The second part of Exemplary College Prep is creating and establishing active and on-going communications and visits with colleges and universities. This is the second part of Exemplary College Prep; it begins in grade 11. . Because Dr. Schwarzbeck has worked with professors and admissions departments for many years, connecting ECP students/applicants with professors, instructors and universities is regular practice
ECP students at college/university during a summer Most ECP students go on learn from university faculty in at least one summer. Students often begin with remote learning within a college or university structure during the 3rd high school year.
Ongoing partnership with university admissions and faculty We keep our focus on achieving academic and independent study matches for each student, We maintain active, private and straightforward relationships with admissions and university faculty prior to students’ application, during their application period, and on-going when the students are in university. We partner with academic departments and admissions at colleges/universities in Canada, United States and the U.K. with visits and telephone calls. Exemplary College Prep matches applicants and their high school development with their first college/university experiences and plans.
“Charles has been our devoted friend, expert teacher, and amazing administrative strategist and partner. I know that he helped our students own their education, creativity, innovation and worldly successes, as they became interesting and amazing thinkers. Our students remain in touch with Charles, when they are at university and beyond – and they grow impressively with strength and confidence.”
-Betty Brown, Head of Langley School (McLean Virginia)
Parent and Student Testimonials
“Our daughter just got accepted by seven of the eight colleges of her choice, thanks in large part to Dr. Schwarzbeck’s Exemplary College Prep program!…”
She began working with Dr. Schwarzbeck during the summer of her high school junior year to boost her grades and to identify challenging yet realistic short and long-term goals. Charles coupled his developmentally-based understanding of our daughter’s motivations, interests and talents with current, first-hand knowledge of all the available options. His direct, tough-love, yet compassionate way of relating to teens enabled him to guide our daughter through the daunting college application process. Together they systematically evaluated the myriad of options, prepared and delivered winning applications, all culminating in the selection of the best-fit college where she will thrive. Most importantly, Dr. Schwarzbeck has instilled new realism, focus, and self-discipline that will enable our daughter to achieve lifelong, life wide success. Our work with Exemplary College Prep has been well worth the investment! My only wish is that our daughter had started working with Dr. Schwarzbeck sooner!
-April 20, 2018
“Almost bigger than getting her into impressive schools is Dr. Schwarzbeck’s way of creating a responsible, systematic, work for what you want,- an enthusiastic young adult…”
“In early 11th grade we brought our sad and not very motivated teenager, whose grades were dropping, to Dr. Schwarzbeck. He took over, found glitches in how she learned and retained, changed some directions, got her prepared and chose schools. (We never dreamed of the schools he chose.) His work was straight forward, careful, and strategic. Then our daughter took over.
They were great partners.
Almost bigger than getting her into impressive schools is Dr. Schwarzbeck’s way of creating a responsible, systematic, work for what you want,- an enthusiastic young adult. Our daughter is amazing today, – because Dr. Schwarzbeck, in his humble, low key way goes way beyond the call of duty and produces healthy, amazing maturity.
Today she is a sophomore at a prestigious university, where she is happy, full of ideas, and excited about her future.
We are lucky we found him.”
GM, Edmonds, WA, 9 May 2016
“…we learned quickly that Exemplary College Paths isn’t like any college advisory that we’ve seen or heard about. Our daughter showed us her approach to “my after my high school,” and by February she and DrS had everything scheduled out and on track…”
Our 15-year old daughter was floundering and under-achieving. We argued all the time. She was really down. We brought her to Dr. S.
He showed her a new way to learn. He met with her teachers and learned more, and then showed them new ways to teach her. It all worked in three months. She achieved, and she was proud.
When she got to 11th grade she was nervous about college and she avoided planning or even talking with us about it. She skipped meetings with her school counselor. She spent hours texting, looking at her phone and moping.
We returned to DrS, and before long our child was purposeful and going for it. And we learned quickly that Exemplary College Paths isn’t like any college advisory that we’ve seen or heard about. Our daughter showed us her approach to “my after my high school.”, and by February she and DrS had everything scheduled out and on track.
Dr. S doesn’t try to get kids into a lot of schools. He stretches them. He gets them into the colleges that will stretch them, and make the most sense for them. His approach assures that they will be happy where they live, and then productive, and four year successes.
By September of 12th grade, college choices, SATs, all her applications and essays, her community services, and her references were complete. Her SAT Subject Tests were complete in October. While her 12th grade classmates were stressed-out, overwhelmed and behind, and skipping study to get applications finished, our daughter had only doing well with her subjects to focus on. She achieved her highest average.
When our daughter got into two “stretch schools”, she was ecstatic. Dr. S then found financial aid awards, and had her on planes in a week to negotiate and get the best deal. He went with her!
Today our daughter is a very successful, scholarship sophomore, in a city that she loves, at a university that she is very proud of, and with impressive friends. She “re-thinks and plans” with Dr. S once a year. They’re a good team! – September 9, 2016
“You were there all the way. I’ve had 2 ½ years of college, and I’m headed to graduate school for sure…”
You were serious, tough and demanding with me, and always on my team. You found colleges and ways to get there that no counselor ever told me about. You got me prepared for standardized tests and I improved all my scores a lot. You and I got my aps and essays done before I started my senior year at G. You pushed me hard while everybody had senioritis. I got a 3.58 GPA.
Then when I got into 3 of 5 stretch schools, I took my senior research performance and got a great financial aid deal and met my professors before I was finished with high school. You were there all the way.
I’ve had 2 ½ years of college, and I’m headed to graduate school for sure. – PF
“His warm and inviting demeanor helps open lines of communication, and families and educators always appreciate his wealth of knowledge…”
Supporting students in school is of incredible importance, yet requires a high degree of expertise so that the support is effective. For years now, Dr. Schwarzbeck has not only supported individual students in schools, but he has also trained school staff and educated parents on how to support children in school. His warm and inviting demeanor helps open lines of communication, and families and educators always appreciate his wealth of knowledge. As a school principal, I have witnessed first hand Dr. Schwarzbeck’s effectiveness in student intervention meetings, counseling with parents, and interaction with students. Personally, I always learn something new when I talk with Dr. Schwarzbeck, both in my world at work and my life at home. He is gracious with his time, committed in his work, and truly dedicated to helping families and children. I feel quite privileged to work with Dr. Schwarzbeck, and hope to continue to do so for years to come.
-Dr. Matthew Livingston, School Principal, International Community School
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